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Wethersfield, Connecticut
|area_code = 860 |blank_name = FIPS code |blank_info = 09-84900 |blank1_name = GNIS feature ID |blank1_info = 0213533 |footnotes = }} Wethersfield is a town in Hartford County, Connecticut, USA, immediately south of Hartford along the Connecticut River. Many records from colonial times spell the name "Weathersfield", while Native Americans called it "Pyquag".Connecticut Towns in the Order of their Establishment, Secretary of the State of Connecticut. Retrieved December 8, 2013. The town's motto is "Ye Most Auncient Towne in Connecticut",Official Web Site of the Town of Wethersfield and its population was 26,668 in the 2010 census. The town is primarily served by Interstate 91. The neighborhood known as Old Wethersfield is the state's largest historic district, spanning two square miles and 1,100 buildings, dating back to the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. History Founded in 1634 by a Puritan settlement party of "10 Men" including John Oldham, Robert Seeley, Thomas Topping and Nathaniel Foote, Wethersfield is arguably the oldest town in Connecticut,Clark, George Larkin (1914). A History of Connecticut: Its People and Institutions. G.P.Putnam's Sons.Town Profile: Wethersfield. The Connecticut Economic Digest, Connecticut Department of Labor, January 2004 depending on one's interpretation of when a remote settlement qualifies as a "town". Along with Windsor and Hartford, Wethersfield is represented by one of the three grapevines on the Flag of Connecticut, signifying the state's three oldest European settlements.Virtual Tour of the Connecticut Supreme Court Courtroom. Retrieved December 22, 2013.Historically Speaking: Stonington-born woman helped create flag, The Bulletin (Norwich), August 27, 2008 The town took its name from Wethersfield, a village in the English county of Essex. Pequot War * See also Wethersfield Raid of 1637 During the Pequot War, on April 23, 1637, Wongunk chief Sequin attacked Wethersfield with Pequot help. They killed six men and three women, a number of cattle and horses, and took two young girls captive. They were daughters of Abraham Swain or William Swaine (sources vary) and were later ransomed by Dutch traders.Konstantin, Phil (2002). This Day in North American Indian History. Da Capo Press, pp. 99-100. Wethersfield witch trials Four witch trials and three executions for witchcraft occurred in the town in the 17th century. Mary Johnson was convicted of witchcraft and executed in 1648, Joan and John Carrington in 1651.List of New England witchcraft cases Landowner Katherine Harrison was convicted, and although her conviction was reversed, she was banished and her property seized by her neighbors.Another list of New England witchcraft casesBrief summary of Katherine Harrison case Revolutionary War Silas Deane, commissioner to France during the American Revolutionary War, lived in the town. His house is now part of the Webb-Deane-Stevens Museum. In May 1781, at the Webb House on Main Street, General George Washington and French Lt. Gen. Rochambeau planned the Siege of Yorktown, which culminated in the independence of the then rebellious colonies. The Wethersfield Volunteer Fire Department was chartered by the Connecticut Legislature on May 12, 1803, making it the first formally chartered fire department in Connecticut, and is one of the oldest chartered volunteer fire department in continuous existence in the United States.Wethersfield Volunteer Fire Dept Wethersfield was "for a century at least, the centre of the onion trade in New England", during the late 1700s and early to middle 1800s.A Great Trade Vanished. How Connecticut's Onion Monopoly Was Lost, New York Times, June 2, 1889 "Outsiders dubbed the Connecticut village 'Oniontown,' with a crosshatch of affection and derision, for this was home of the world-famous Wethersfield red onion."Wethersfield, CT, and Onions, Yankee Magazine, August 1993 In addition, the town was home to William G. Comstock, a well-known 19th century gardening expert and author of the era's most prominent gardening book, Order of Spring Work. In 1820, Comstock founded what would become Comstock, Ferre & Company,Connecticut seed company Comstock, Ferre & Co. returns to its roots, Boston Globe, October 16, 2011Comstock, Ferre & Co currently America's oldest continuously operating seed company, pioneering the commercial sale of sealed packets of seeds as he had learned from the Amish. Other nationally prominent seed companies in and around the town are the offspring of this agricultural past.Wethersfield: The Cradle of American Seed Companies, Wethersfield Historical Society, January 23, 2012 A meteorite fell on Wethersfield on November 8, 1982. It was the second meteorite to fall in the town in the span of 11 years, and crashed through the roof of a house without injuring the occupants, as the first Wethersfield meteorite had also done. The 1971 meteorite was sold to the Smithsonian, and the 1982 meteorite was taken up as part of a collection at the Yale Peabody Museum.The Wethersfield Meteorite, Yale Peabody Museum. Retrieved August 21, 2013.The Wethersfield Meteorites, Wethersfield Historical Society, October 24, 2011 Geography Wethersfield is located at 41° 42' 43" North, 72° 39' 48" West (41.7122° -72.6636°). According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which is land and , or 6.10%, is water. Wethersfield is bordered by Hartford on the north, Rocky Hill on the south, Newington on the west, and across the Connecticut River by East Hartford on the northeast and Glastonbury on the east. Demographics |footnote= U.S. Decennial Census }} As of the 2000 census, there were 26,268 people, 11,214 households, and 7,412 families residing in the town. The population density was 2,119.9 people per square mile (818.7/km²). There were 11,454 housing units at an average density of 924.3 per square mile (356.9/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 93.19% White, 2.09% Black or African American, 0.08% Native American, 1.58% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 1.82% from other races, and 1.22% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.19% of the population. There were 11,214 households, out of which 25.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.9% were married couples living together, 9.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.9% were non-families. 30.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 2.89. The town population was distributed with 20.1% under the age of 18, 4.8% from 18 to 24, 26.6% from 25 to 44, 25.1% from 45 to 64, and 23.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females there were 86.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.4 males. The median income for a household in the town was $53,289, and the median income for a family was $68,154. (These figures had risen to $66,044 and $86,432 respectively as of a 2007 estimate.)American FactFinder. Factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved August 21, 2013. Males had a median income of $43,998 versus $37,443 for females. The per capita income for the town was $28,930. About 2.4% of families and 4.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.8% of those under age 18 and 5.5% of those age 65 or over. Government and infrastructure The Connecticut Department of Correction and the Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles have their headquarters in Wethersfield.Contact Us. Connecticut Department of Correction, 24 Wolcott Hill Road, Wethersfield, CT 06109. Retrieved December 8, 2013.Contact Information. Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles, 60 State Street, Wethersfield, CT 06161. Retrieved December 8, 2013. The United States Postal Service operates the Wethersfield Post Office, zip code 06109.Location Details. United States Postal Service, 67 Beaver Road, Wethersfield, CT 06109. Retrieved December 8, 2013. Authority Wethersfield has as police station and 3 volunteer fire stations. The year 2003 marked the formal 200th Anniversary of the Wethersfield Volunteer Fire Department. Wethersfield has the oldest volunteer fire company in Connecticut, and in New England. Transportation Greater Hartford's major system of public transportation is currently Connecticut Transit (CT Transit), a Connecticut Department of Transportation-owned bus service operating routes throughout the New Haven, Stamford, Hartford and other metro areas. Wethersfield is served by route numbers 20, 43, 47, 53, 55, 61, and 91.Routes & Schedules, Connecticut Transit. Retrieved December 8, 2013. Major roads include: *Main Street in Old Wethersfield *Connecticut Route 287 (Prospect st.) *Connecticut Route 175 (Wells Road) *Connecticut Route 99 (Silas Deane Highway) *Connecticut Route 15 and U.S. Route 5 (Berlin Turnpike and Wilbur Cross Highway) *Connecticut Route 3 (Maple Street and Putnam Bridge) *Interstate 91 (Exits 25–26) Wethersfield was once connected to Hartford by streetcar A Revolution in Horse Power, ConnecticutHistory.org. Retrieved December 16, 2013.They Even Survived Rocks on the Track, Wethersfield Historical Society, August 23, 2012 and by passenger service on the Valley Railroad. Its tracks still provide a route for sporadic freight trains between Hartford and Old Saybrook. Education The Wethersfield public school system encompasses Wethersfield High School, Silas Deane Middle School, and five elementary schools: Highcrest School, Charles Wright School, Emerson-Williams School, Alfred W. Hanmer School, and Samuel B. Webb School. Wethersfield is also the home of Corpus Christi School, which is a Catholic school of approximately 400 students from pre-kindergarten through 8th grade. It was one of only fifty private schools named as a 2012 National Blue Ribbon School by the U.S. Secretary of Education, in the category of "Exemplary High Performing."Corpus Christi School, Wethersfield CT Culture Landmarks and historic district Three buildings in Wethersfield are designated as historic landmarks by the National Register of Historic Places: * Buttolph-Williams House — 249 Broad St. (added December 24, 1968) * Joseph Webb House — 211 Main St. (added November 15, 1966) * Silas Deane House — 203 Main St. (added November 6, 1970) In 1970, Old Wethersfield, the district bounded by Hartford, the railroad tracks, I-91 and Rocky Hill, was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This is the largest historic district in Connecticut, with two square miles containing 1,100 buildings, many dating back to the 18th and 19th centuries. Other points of interest *Ancient Burying Ground *Broad Street Green *Roger Butler House *Captain James Francis House *Great MeadowsGreat Meadows Conservation Trust, Wethersfield, Rocky Hill and Glastonbury CT *Heritage Way — a "linear park" and multi-use path that connects Wethersfield's open areas and recreation facilitiesIntroduction to Heritage Way, Wethersfield CT *Hurlbut-Dunham House *Keeney Memorial Culture CenterKeeney Memorial Culture Center, Wethersfield CT — home of the Wethersfield Museum and Visitor Center *Millwoods Park/Pond *Wethersfield Cove *Wethersfield Historical SocietyWethersfield Historical Society, Wethersfield CT *Wethersfield Skate Park *Willard Pool *Wintergreen Woods — forest with vernal pools and walking trails *Eleanor Buck Wolf Nature CenterEleanor Buck Wolf Nature Center, Wethersfield CT *9/11 Memorial Sports Center Music The historic First Church of Christ, Wethersfield, is the home of the Albert Schweitzer Organ Festival USA,Albert Schweitzer Organ Festival, First Church of Christ, Wethersfield a major national competition for young organists held annually since 1998. Appearances in popular culture Wethersfield was the setting for the children's novel The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare, as well as the setting of the one-act play The Valiant by Holworthy Hall and Robert Middlemass. Actor-turned-author Thomas Tryon used his native Wethersfield as the setting for his action/romance novels The Wings of the Morning and In the Fire of Spring, as well as a mystery/horror novel and film The Other. The short film Disneyland Dream features the Barstow family from Wethersfield, including footage of their neighborhood. The novel Parrot and Olivier in America by two-time Booker Prize-winning Australian author Peter Carey was largely set in the town of Wethersfield. The novel touches on some hallmarks of its history including the predominance of onion farming and the old state prison. Notable people * Charles McLean Andrews (1863–1943), historian * William Watson Andrews (1810–1897), clergyman * Steven Anzovin (1954-2005), American non-fiction author * Robbins Barstow (1919-2010), Producer of historically significant travelogues (most notably Disneyland Dream 1956);Margalit Fox, Robbins Barstow, Home-Movie Maven, Dies at 91. New York Times, November 13, 2010. Retrieved 2014-02-16. Director of Professional Development, Connecticut Education Association. * Elizabeth Canning (1734–1773), English maid notoriously exiled for perjury * William G. ComstockWilliam G. Comstock, Smithsonian Libraries. (1810–1899), gardening expert, author, and founder of seed company * Kenneth F. Cramer (1894–1954), U.S. Army Major General and Chief of the National Guard Bureau * James Curtiss (1803–1859), Mayor of Chicago * Silas Deane (1737–1789), first American diplomat * John Deming (c.1615–1705), a founder of Wethersfield and an original patentee of Connecticut Colony * Tony DiCicco (born 1948), coach, United States women's national soccer team * Bruce Edwards (1954–2004), Tom Watson's caddy of almost 30 years * Krista Flanigan,Troupes present light fare for summer audiences, The Blade (Toledo), July 15, 2010Department of Theatre and Dance, Otterbein University, Summer 2012 actress * Nathaniel FooteFoote, Abram W. (1907). Foote Family, Comprising the Genealogy and History of Nathaniel Foote of Wethersfield, Conn., and his Descendants. Marble City Press.Nathaniel Foote, New England Families. Retrieved December 22, 2013. (1592–1644), an original settler * Thomas Ian Griffith (born 1962), actor * Betsey Johnson (born 1942), fashion designer * Mark Linn-Baker (born 1954), actor and director * Colin McDonald (born 1984), professional hockey player * John Mehegan (1916–1984), jazz pianist * William J. Miller (1899-1950), Congressman from Connecticut * Stephen Mix Mitchell (1743–1835), United States Senator and Connecticut Chief Justice * Chris Murphy (born 1973), United States Senator * Tyler Murphy, Former quarterback for the University of Florida Gators, Starting quarterback for the Boston College Eagles * John Oldham (1592–1636), an original settler * John Pinone (born 1961), basketball player and coach * Annabella Sciorra (born 1960), actress * Robert Seeley (1602–1668), an original settler * Christopher Shinn (born 1975), playwright * Karen Smyers (born 1961), world champion triathlete * Charles Stillman (1810–1875), founder of Brownsville, Texas * Richard Treat (or Trott) (1584–1669), an original settler of Wethersfield and a Patentee of the Royal Charter of Connecticut * Tom Tryon (1926–1991), actor and novelist * Sophie Tucker (1887–1966), comedian and singer, interred in Emanuel Cemetery * Levi Warner (1831–1911), Congressman from Connecticut * Samuel B. WebbGeneral Samuel Blatchley Webb, Town of Claverack, NY. Retrieved December 22, 2013.Gen. Samuel B. Webb, FindAGrave.com. Retrieved December 22, 2013. (1753–1807), Brigadier General in the American Revolutionary War * Thomas Welles (1590–1660), Governor of Connecticut Colony * Elisha Williams (1694–1755), minister, legislator and judge * Benjamin Wright (1770–1842), chief engineer of the Erie Canal * Charles Wright (1811–1885), botanical explorer and collector * John Syv (1977), General Manager, beer connoisseur, Newport & Cape Cod enthusiast References External links * Town of Wethersfield official website *Wethersfield Library * Wethersfield Historical Society * Historic Wethersfield Tourism Commission *''Tocqueville in Wethersfield'' - Segment from C-SPAN's Alexis de Tocqueville Tour * Wethersfield Chamber of Commerce Category:Wethersfield, Connecticut Category:Towns in Hartford County, Connecticut Category:Witchcraft Category:New England Puritanism Category:Settlements established in 1634 Category:Settlements on the Connecticut River Category:1634 establishments in Connecticut Category:Towns in Connecticut Category:Greater Hartford